A workman's ability to access tools while working on a job is a known problem. In this text, the word “user” defines a workman, maintenance man, etc. as one who uses a tool to accomplish construction, assembly, disassembly, crafts or repair tasks and the like.
Numerous solutions to the problem of tool accessibility have been suggested by prior art devices. In some of these solutions, a belt is provided with a set configuration of tool compartments which the user wears over his existing belt and which cannot be arranged as the user would prefer. The compartments for specific tools are set in a specific configuration which may not be the configuration desirable for the user. Certain jobs require the use of certain tools preferentially or exclusively over others. Additionally, if the user does not want to carry his full set of tools with him, he must remove them from the belt and store them elsewhere, later returning them to their appropriate compartment on the belt. It may be that the tools needed for a specific job are located at an inconvenient place on the belt and are not easily accessible to the user.
Alternatively, the prior art shows individual tool compartment units which can be threaded on to the user's belt in a variety of arrangements. While this allows the user to preferentially arrange the tools on the belt, and choose those necessary for a specific job, it necessitates the user opening his belt and removing it from the belt loops, both to attach the units and to remove them.
Another proposed solution to this problem is a clip-on device to be placed on the user's existing belt. This allows the user to attach and detach the unit without removing the belt. This is well known for cellular phone users. However, often the clip is easily displaced from the belt when the user changes position, e.g., sits down, as upward force on the clip holder causes it to rise and disengage from the belt. This problem is accentuated by the fact that many tools are wider and longer than a cellular phone causing more displacement problems due to the user's movements.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,156 to Sicotte et al. discloses a modular component system which provides a specially formed belt for attaching various compartments. However, it is not suited to tool use, as the attachments are formed by the use of a provided belt covered in loops to which the attachments units stick by way of hooks, such as those provided by VELCRO™. This would not be suitable for use with tools which can be heavy, such as cordless drills, mallets etc., as the attachment units could easily become detached from the belt, causing a safety risk to the user and damage to the tools. Additionally, the attachment units can only be used with the specific belt provided with the attachments, thus limiting the user.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a tool holder which can be attached and detached without the removal of the user's belt, would allow the user to choose which tool units to attach to the belt and in what arrangement, and which would sit securely on the user's belt without fear of displacement due to the user's movements.